New approach

I have hit a lot of different cake decorating techniques in my blog, but it dawned on me today that I haven't shared a lot as far as baking.  So, at least for a little while, I think I am going to start sharing some scratch cake recipes.  So here are a couple to get you all started off...beginning with the basics white, butter, chocolate.

The first recipe is for a very popular cake, and I'm sorry I don't know the original poster of this recipe or I would give them full credit for it.  I found it online and I just love it.  It's called White Almond Sour Cream Cake, and it has so many different variations to change it up.  But for right now, I'm going to stick with the original recipe, and maybe later on I'll tell you some variations to the recipe.  This version was submitted by Rebecca Sutterby and only uses egg whites (which in my opinion if it is a white cake it shouldn't contain yolks, but that is only my opinion).  I mean really, if it contained yolks it would be a yellow almond sour cream cake right?

I would just like to say before getting started to always make sure you are starting with fresh ingredients to insure you get the best results (e.g. eggs, baking soda, baking powder and cake mixes always check expiration dates)
WASC Cake (White Almond Sour Cream)

WASC - Rebecca Sutterby version w/ egg whites
2 boxes white cake mix (I only use Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 teas. salt
8 egg whites
2 2/3 cups water
4 Tbls. vegetable oil
2 cups (16oz carton) sour cream
2 teaspoon clear vanilla flavor
2 teaspoons almond extract 

*Mix all dry ingredients by hand using a whisk in a very large mixing bowl (I would also sift all ingredients together, but again that is just me). Add the rest of the ingredients (I mix all liquid ingredients together in a separate bowl and then add to the dry)  and beat on low speed for 2 minutes  (I mix slightly, scrape down the sides of the bowl and then finish mixing just until the batter looks silky...be sure not to overmix). Bake at 325 degrees  (I bake until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out with crumbs...if you wait until it comes out clean it is overbaked).

Chocolate Cake

by Jackie Cabe

2 boxes Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate Fudge Moist Deluxe (The only kind I use)

Ingredients on the box

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

2 boxes Jello Instant Chocolate Pudding (Large box)

2 cups sour cream

2 eggs

2 Tablespoons Hersheys Chocolate Syrup

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  In a large mixing bowl, sift together the cake mixes, flour, sugar, and pudding and set aside.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the water, oil, eggs, sour cream, and chocolate syrup until eggs are blended well.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix a little, then scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again just until the cake becomes glossy or silky looking.  DO NOT OVERMIX.  Bake just until a wooden skewer or toothpick pulls away with a few crumbs on it.  If you wait until it pulls away clean, it will already be overbaked.

Butter Cake

was submitted in a magazine called Sunset Magazine (sorry I don't know the name of the author)

2 1/4 cups cake flour

• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  1 teaspoon salt
  1 1/4 cups sugar
  1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  2 large eggs
  2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  2/3 cup milk
  
  Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 2 round 8-in. cake pans.

Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl; set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat sugar and butter until creamy. Crack eggs into a small dish (do not beat) and add vanilla. Add eggs to the butter mixture, one at a time, scraping down the inside of the bowl as needed. Beat in flour mixture and milk in alternating batches, starting and ending with the flour and making sure each addition is fully incorporated before adding the next.

Divide batter evenly between pans. Let batter sit in pans for five minutes.

Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake come out clean, 20-25 minutes.

Cool cakes in pans 5 minutes. Invert onto a rack, remove pans and let cakes cool to room temperature, at least 40 minutes.

Frost with your favorite and enjoy.
1. (Cakes can be made up to 2 days ahead and wrapped in plastic wrap and chilled).
   
   
   So there you have it, if you want a yellow cake just add the yolks to the WASC cake above.  But I also have a special treat for you as well.  BONUS!!!  I am also going to include a couple of snack cake recipes as well.  These are made in a 10-inch tube pan or a 8X8 inch square pan.
   
   
   Apple Spice Cake
   
   
   1 cup butter, melted
   1/2 cup oil
   2 Cups sugar
   3 eggs
   2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
   1/4 tsp. cinnamon
   3 cups all-purpose flour
   1 tsp. baking soda
   2 tsp. salt
   3 cups chopped apples
   1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
   1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
   1/4 cup butter
   3 T. milk
   1 T. cinnamon
   
   
   Combine butter, oil, sugar, and eggs in mixing bowl and mix until thick and lemon colored.  Beat in vanilla, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and mixture of flour, soda, and salt.  Fold in apples, nuts, and walnuts. Pour into greased and floured  10-inch tube pan and bake at 325 degrees for 1-1/2 hours.  Remove to a wire rack to cool.  Bring remaining ingredients to boil in a saucepan, mixing well, cool and pour over cake.  Yields 12 servings.
   
   
   Apple Sauce Cake
   
   
   2 tsp. baking soda
   2 cups unsweetened applesauce
   2 cups sugar
   1 cup butter, softened
   1 egg
   4 cups all-purpose flour
   1 pound of raisins
   1 tsp. cinnamon
   1 tsp. allspice
   1 tsp. nutmeg
   1 tsp. cloves
   1 tsp. ginger
   1-1/2 to 2 cups black walnuts (if unavailable you can substitute English walnuts)
   
   
   Grease tube pan and line the bottom with greased wax paper.  In a bowl, stir the baking soda into the applesauce and set aside.  In another bowl, cream together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy.  Add the egg and beat well.  Add the applesauce mixer and mix well.  Sift flour over raisins in a large mixing bowl.  Add the spices and walnuts and mix well.  Pour into your prepared tube pan and bake at 325 degrees for 1-1/2 hours and cool in pan.  Invert onto a cake plate and remove the wax paper.  Top with whipped cream and serve.  Yield is 20 servings.

If you didn't have any "go to" recipes, I hope you like these, and they can become your "go to" recipes.  Good luck and happy baking!

Jackie Cabe's Blogspot: Oh my gosh, Oh my gosh, Oh my gosh...New Airbrush

Jackie Cabe's Blogspot: Oh my gosh, Oh my gosh, Oh my gosh...New Airbrush: I am so excited.  My husband got me a new airbrush and compressor for my birthday.  Now typically my husband doesn't spend this much on my birthday, so this was quite a surprise.  I can't wait to give it a try.


Update:

My first airbrushed cake.

Transfers can be an inexpensive decorating medium

One way to decorate cakes is by using transfers.  These are fairly simple to make and, as well, are fairly inexpensive to make.  There are at least three types of transfers.  There are chocolate transfers (these are a little more expensive due to the price of chocolate), frozen buttercream transfers, and royal icing (or color flow) transfers.

Transfers are all basically done in the same manner.  You start with a printed image (in reverse of the image you want).  It will be done in reverse because the side facing you will actually be the back side of your project.  You will need the following tools:  Printed image in reverse, wax paper, tape, and whatever type of medium you are using (chocolate, buttercream, or royal icing).

Begin by taping your printed image to a flat surface (bottom of cake pan, cookie sheet, cutting board).  Then tape your wax paper over the printed image.  Once attached, use whatever medium you have choosen to outline the image.  Here's where things start to differ a little.
If you are using chocolate, after doing the outline you can stick in the fridge for a few moments to harden up the chocolate.  Then remove from frig and finish filling in the rest of the print.  Allow it to firm up and remove from wax paper (this step will be covered later).

If you are using buttercream, you can stick it in the frig or freezer for a few minutes to stiffen up the outline, and then finish filling in the print.  Once the print is filled use a toothpick to fill remove any air bubbles or pockets to completely filled.  Once the image is completely filled and air bubbles are removed, place in the freezer for no less then 45 minutes to completely freeze the image.  Once completely frozen it can be removed from the wax paper (this step will be covered later), but it must be placed immediately on the cake before the image starts to thaw.

If you are using royal icing, you will need to let it dry slightly (the amount of time will vary depending on the printed images size).  Once the icing has dried enough to hold its shape, you can continue filling in the rest of the printed image.  Allow the image to completely dry (this step takes longer for royal icing...up to 48 hours or more depending on size of the image).  Once dried, remove from paper (this step will be covered later) and place on cake.

Removing the Image from the Wax Paper:


This step is basically the same for each medium, but it must be kept in mind that when dealing with the frozen buttercream...you will want to work as quickly as possible to avoid thawing.

First you will need to remove the wax paper from the flat surface you have attached it to.   Gently pull the paper loose from the front the part of the image that is facing you.  Lie the image on the edge of your countertop.  Slowly pull the paper down over the edge of the countertop.  This will pull the image forward off the edge of the countertop.  Place your other hand under the image to catch it.  Continue pulling the paper downward until the image pulls loose from paper.  Flip the image over and place it on the cake or other flat surface until ready to use. Remember...if you are working with a frozen buttercream transfer, you must put it on the cake immediately, because they thaw very quickly.

Click on the highlighted words to see examples of chocolate transfer this photo belongs to mommawants1more and was uploaded to flickr, frozen buttercream transfers uploaded by Dawn on Cake Central, and royal icing or color flow transfer on Let's get caking's blogpost.  I am not taking any of the credit for these images, I am simply using them as samples of the different types of transfers.  I hope I gave adaquate credit where credit was due.

Check out this transfer I recently did of "Pablo" in my slideshow to see a royal icing transfer I did.
I hope you will give them a try.  As you can see from the samples, they can achieve great decorating results for both cake and cupcakes.  Happy decorating!

Totally not cake related...or is it?

I recently had a lifelong friend marry a man she has been with for 22 years.  They had both came from bad relationships, so they just took each day as it came.  Thankfully, they finally decided to tie the knot.  The problem is, what do you get a couple that has been together that long...that already has a household established.  My friend isn't into the trinket thing, so I decided to make her something homemade...from the heart.

What is more romantic then chocolate?  In my personal opinion...absolutely nothing.  So I decided to make her some homemade chocolates.  This is what I came up. 

This started the old creative juices flowing, and then I thought...why couldn't you apply some of these techniques to cake designing?  Prezel rods covered in chocolate would make great tree trunks.  Chocolate covered strawberries could be used for rocks or boulders.  Mini-marshmallows covered in red candy melts could be mini-apples or covered in orange candy melts could be oranges.  Marshmallow treats covered in chocolate could be formed to make mountains.  Unlimited ideas could be formed from chocolate.  Let your imagination run free.  Oh and you might want to try this recipe for modeling chocolate to make 3-D figures:

Modeling Chocolate

10 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup corn syrup

You can also substitute the chocolate chips with almond bark or colored candy melts

Microwave the chips in short 30 second intervals (or use a double-boiler being careful not to get water in the chocolate)  Don't allow chips temperature to exceed 100 degrees.  Stir often to insure they melt consistently.  Once all chips have melted add the corn syrup.

Add the corn syrup and stir with rubber spatula until the mixture becomes thick and forms a ball.

Spread out on a piece of wax paper until thin (about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick).  Let it cool completely.  It can be used at once or can be stored in an air tight container for up to a month.  Be careful not to handle the chocolate to much, because the clay becomes sticky.

Dipping Chocolate

1 bag semi-sweet  chocolate
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Microwave in short 30 second intervals until the chocolate is completely melted.  If chocolate is still to thick, you can add a little more vegetable oil.

The dipping chocolate can be used for covering pretzels, fruit, caramels, peanuts, rice krispie treats or cake balls.  The sky is the limit.  Use your imagination.

My First Attempt at a Lambeth cake

Well, I told you that when I finished my Lambeth cake I would post a picture of it.  So, here you go.  I realize it looks a little rough.  The piping was much more difficult then I thought it would be, but actually creating the design for it presented more of a problem then the piping.  It was interesting to try and make it all look cohesive.  Hope you like it.

Where do I go from Here?

This is the first question the new cake designer is asking themselves when they make the decision to try out cake designing.  If you are fortunate enough to have the resources to take classes or attend some type of pastries/culinary institute, you are pretty much in there.  But, if you just want to do this as a hobby for family and friends, you really don't want to invest that type of money into it.  So you check the internet.

There are many valuable resources on the internet.  Hobbyists have never had it so good.  You can get information on virtually any type of hobby at your fingertips.  You have access to social forums like Facebook, Twitter, MySpace.  You also have access to specialized forums for cake decorating (my personal favorite: cakecentral.com).  You can get online video tutorials via youtube.  There are people willing to share their knowledge around every corner.

When I decided that I wanted to learn cake designing, I first went to google search.  Through this search, I found various cake related websites, including cakecentral.  I quickly realized that if I was going to get into this seriously, my most valuable piece of equipment was going to be a notebook with dividers.  This will be more valuable to you then anything and probably the least expensive thing you will need to get started.  This will help you mass your knowledge in one central location, so when you ask yourself "what was it that that said again", instead of having to re-search the web all you have to do is open your trusty notebook.

This website is an accumulation of some of the knowledge that I have learned in a very short time.  Invite others that share your interests to a Facebook or Twitter account.  Share the tidbits that you pick up here and there.  Honestly you can learn loads from books from the library, magazines, the internet, cake designing clubs, classes and cake decorating conventions like ICES.

Whichever medium you choose to invest your time into, I hope you enjoy the journey as much as I have.  I've made a lot of online friends through this hobby...maybe you will be one of them.  Feel free to friend me on Facebook at cabescakes, maybe we can teach each other something.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Dream

This recipe has been passed down as far back as I can remember from my grandmother, my mother, myself and hopefully my kids.  It is a very rich dessert, and it will satisfy any sweet tooth.  It is called Peanut Chocolate Dessert.  It is made the following with the following ingredients:

Peanut Butter Chocolate Dream

1/2 cup butter
1 cup flour
1 cup peanuts
8 ounces cream cheese
1/3 cup peanut butter
1 cup powdered sugar
12 ounces whipped topping
1 box instant vanilla pudding
1 chocolate bar

In a bowl, cut butter into flour.  Stir in 2/3 cups of the peanuts.  Press the mixture into a 9x13 inch baking pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  In another bowl, combine cream cheese peanut butter, and powdered sugar.  Beat until fluffy.  Gently fold in 1 cup of the whipped topping.  Spread this mixture over the cooled crust.  Chill.  Prepare the instant pudding according to package directions beating for 2 minutes.  Spread the instant pudding over the cream cheese.  Spread on the remaining whipped topping.  Shave any type of chocolate bar or pulse in a food processor (you can use any type of chocolate bar you like, but chocolate covered toffee bars are my favorite)  Sprinkle candy bar bits onto whipped topping and sprinkle on the remaining chopped nuts.  Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

This is my little piece of heaven on a plate.  Hope you enjoy it too